Give Away
by ivy-tsuta
Summary: A promise is a promise. Ino, Naruto. NaruIno. OneShot.


I would like to mention that this is based on what I wanted my break up to be like. The background is the same but nothing else is.

**Title: Give Away  
PenName: ivy-tsuta  
Fandom: Naruto  
Rating: T  
Warnings: NaruIno, Mentioned NaruSaku**

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_**Give Away**  
ivy-tsuta_

It was a nice winter day, cold for it was winter, but it was definitely wrong for what was about to happen. The weather had been freezing the past few days, but now it was just a chill compared.

A car, baby blue to match her eyes, pulled into the special lot of the local park; gravel crunched under the wheels. Ino got out, a light pink (--_just like Sakura's hair; everything reminded her about her best friend lately_--) turtleneck sweater adorning her chest, just the right thickness to keep her warm. Light skinny jeans and tan boots she could move comfortabley in claimed their spot on her legs. A diamond checkered scarf was wrapped loosely around her neck. Naruto also got out, blond hair ruffled but still neat; he just had to roll down the window. He chose to wear a forest green sweater with dark wash jeans.

"Naruto..." the blonde girl whispered softly hoping (--**wishing **_with all her heart_--) that he didn't hear her. He did. He turned his head quickly, eager as always to know what she had to say. "I... Please...understand..." Ino really didn't want to do this (--**why, why, **_**why**__was she doing this again?apromiseisapromise_--) but apparently it had to be. Her eyes glazed with unshed tears, her confidence went down the drain. Naruto cocked his head to the side, questioning her.

Tenderly he put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his bubble of constant warmth. Naruto asked one of the dreaded questions. "Ino, what's wrong?" She couldn't answer (--_no, no; she didn't _want_ to answer_--) a silly question like that and instead decided to ignore it.

A gust of wind blew, bare tree branches moving with it in a subtle dance. Ino moved her arms to be wrapped around her boyfriend, face turned mostly toward his chest. Naruto tightened his grip on her. "It's nothing." She would tell him after their date (--_ their _last _one before she did it_--) when she got her fill of him. Well, was forced to get her fill of him and his natural warmth that radiated from him. Sakura would just have to wait longer.

They had fun. She tried to act normal. It worked for the most part. At times Naruto would send her worried glances. Other than that nothing interrupted their time together. Surprisingly, it was still light when they got back to her car. Now. She had to do it now. She was taking a dive for her best friend. She hadn't even gotten past small pecks on the lips.

She tried again. They stood outside her car, nobody was around, no other cars parked here (--_it was her special spot that she had only shared with Sakura and Naruto_--) so she did what she _apparently _had to. "Naruto." Ino started confidently. He once again whipped his head to look at her (--_with __**dazzling **__blue eyes that were shining; she couldn't __**resist**_--) and was overwhelmed. She kissed him full on the lips. No tongue, no emotions (--_that was a _lie--) attached; they passed from her lips to his. He could have them, she couldn't use them and didn't want them anymore(--_now that she wasn't _allowed _to use them_--); they caused pain. His eyes closed and she didn't want to close hers as well, but did so anyway. His face would never be erased from her mind. She would still see him around (--_with Sakura_--) hanging off someone else's arm, they would still hang out, she just couldn't _have _him.

Their kiss ended shortly after (--_couldn't keep Sakura waiting_--) both their faces flushed with the cold (--_embarrassment was long gone to the wind_--) air all around them. There went the second _real_ kiss of her life. (-- _nobody really cared about the insignificant ones in between this one and the first one three years ago_--) The first was from him as well.

"Ino...why did you...?" Naruto's confusion shone in his eyes. She cut him off by pushing him lightly on the shoulder, turning to face him. Her eyes shone. She looked afraid (--_and she was, her first important relationship was practically _over--) of loosing him when she was the one giving him up anyway.

She started once more, she would not be distracted this time. But she wanted so badly to be. A sigh first. "Naruto," was stated icily, "our relationship..."

He grasped her hand. "What about it?" he asked hopefully. Hopeful for what, who knows. His hands were warm, Ino dully noted.

"It's over." She slipped her decidedly colder (--_colder? tch, more like your __heart's__ colder; how could you do this to him?_--) hands out of his, none of her real feelings showing on her face.

Expectantly he protested. "But... wha-wait, what are you talking about?" He didn't sound mad (--_but she would rather him be mad then so hopelessly sad_--) just confused.

The cool approach worked the best for her, it seemed. Ino kept her voice and face and eyes (--_eyes are the windows to the soul, you know; don't hide your feelings you _monster--) neutral and spoke calmly. Just imagine your talking to someone else, a voice whispered in her mind. _Like Sakura_, she whispered back. "You heard me." The iciness melted a fraction. "We can still be friends, I promise."

"Why, though?" Don't use that desperate tone on her. _Please._

Light cornflower eyes softened. "Listen, there is a reason. There really is... I'm just not sure you want to know." _Ask._

"Tell me," Naruto pleaded. He took up her hand again (--_don't _let _her let it go_--) and squeezed reassuringly.

"Well..." she stalled purposely. He squeezed again. "Fine," she sighed. "Sakura-"

"Sakura-chan?" he interrupted. "What does she have to do with us?" Ino silently glared at nothing.

"Why do you call her -chan, but not me?" Ino asked him heatedly. (--_what did people _see _in her; what did _Ino _see in her?_--)

"Um..." He used his free hand to scratch his cheek, embarrassed. "I don't really know. I just always called her that and it stuck."

Ino looked skeptical. "Right." Did he think she was stupid? "So how about how you flirt with her? Right in front of me, too!" She always had problems controlling her anger, but now it was needed.

Naruto had the decency to look nervous. "What are you talking about? We've broken up, like, five times in one year. We obviously don't.... belong together." (--_you just _wish _you _did--)

"Ah, Naruto." She didn't know what to feel (--_how about betrayed, hm? _remember _what they _did _to you_--) about her boyfriend, though mad fit pretty well. "Stop lying. I _know _you still like her. Why did you ask me out?"

He pulled his hand away (--_no, don't, Ineedthat, give it back_--) this time to run it through his hair. "Ino, I know you're mad but it's hard to ignore her. She talks to me first! I just can't help it."

"Answer my question though. Why did you lead me on?" Oh no, the tears were back (--_don't show him your weakness_--) so she moved her head to hide them.

Naruto stuttered out a response. "N-No, I do like you. A lot! I just...just always wanted her." He noticed she wasn't looking at him and placed two fingers under her chin saying, "Hey, look at me." He whispered gently, "I want to see your pretty eyes." (--_but not like this_--) He dropped the digits quickly when he noticed (--_how could he _not _notice_--) the tears silently running down her cheeks, dripping off her chin to the cold, hard, unforgiving ground.

A sob broke through her lips, followed by another and another. Naruto panicked. "I-Ino?" She shook her head from side to side, trying to rid herself from the wetness on her face that was drying quickly due to the air that was getting colder as the day passed.

"No! I don't want to hear your excuses! I've ignored it for too long." Naruto tried to pull her into an embrace against himself and part of her (--_go ahead, let him comfort you, youwanthimtodoyounot?_--) wanted to give in but she pushed back. "Don't distract me!" she yelled hysterically.

"Listen, Ino don't let anger cloud your judgement." Naruto informed her logically.

"No, you listen to me!" She pointed a finger at him, still screaming. "you think you can play me, but I don't have to settle for that!" Softer she added, "I thought (--_sweetie, you thought wrong_--) that I could spend the rest of my life with you. (--_don't tell him that, are you crazy?_--) I know it's childish, but I still think that. Why did you do this to me, Naruto? I don't think it's quite fair (--_ever heard that life isn't fair, hun? well it's true_--) that I have to go through all this pain, this hurt and confusion."

This time she let the other blond pull her into a tight hug. When had they ended up on the ground? Gravel bit into the palms of her hands painfully.

"Done?" Ino was aware enough to nod."Good." He flashed her a bright smile made all the brighter by the darkening sky. "Ino, I'm sorry. I never realized what you were going through. I'll stop flirting with Sakura if it makes you happy." She knew it was impossible to stop just like that, but it still made her feel better.

Tears bubbled in her eyes again. "It would but it doesn't matter. I p-promised." (--_that stupid promise she still didn't want to make, too late_--) She didn't want to do this, the regret came back all over again.

"Promised who?" Naruto sat next to her on the ground, instead of hugging her while on his knees, and wrapped one arm around her shoulders. He wiped her tears with rough yet somehow still soft hands that held his natural warmth. The tears were replaced almost immediately.

It came out in a deathly quiet whisper. "S-Sakura." The air was air was definitely colder now and the sun was just disappearing behind the trees, casting shadows over the place. "I still have to b-break up with you."

A sharp intake of breath was heard. "Wh-What? After all that?"

She nodded. "Yeah..." she breathed out then inhaled shakily. "So, I guess that's it."

"Yeah." He sighed.

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

He removed his arm, taking a lot of warmth with it. They just sat there for a few more minutes (--_but she wanted to stay __**forever**__, what's so wrong with that? frozen there for all eternity_--) before Naruto stood up, offering a hand to her as well. She grasped it without pausing (--_she would never hesitateto take his hand she just wish it could last __longer_--) and was pulled up. They walked as one to her car.

"Why did you promise exactly?" Naruto questioned as Ino unlocked her door.

"Why," she checked, slowing a bit, hitting the 'unlock' button to open all the doors.

"Yeah, why?" He got settled into the cold car, Ino doing the same opposite. She turned on the heat after she started the car, cold air blowing out first. However, the heater soon made the car warm. The blond girl didn't answer until she got out of the parking lot (--_the special lot, the one she had only shared with Naruto and Sakura_--) and onto the main road toward Naruto's apartment. The boy himself waited expectantly the whole time, not saying a word until she did.

"I made a promise to myself a long time ago that I would never lose a friend (--_especially Sakura, ironically_--) over a guy again."

Satisfied, Naruto nodded once before starting on a different subject.

Ino talked along but her mind was still on her answer. _Big mistake_, she thought harshly.

She just gave away, what could possibly be, the best thing in her life to her best friend.

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Review! And don't complain too much, okay?


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